


Antics

by Daydreamer4ever



Series: Antics [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Lieutenant Duckling, Little Killian and Emma are too cute, the fluff is strong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 12:50:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2622410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daydreamer4ever/pseuds/Daydreamer4ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: LD. Emma, an orphaned young girl, meets runaway Killian Jones. A strong friendship grows, but when Liam comes to take Killian back, he refuses to leave without Emma. Thus ensues a series of antics aboard the Jewel of the Realm. Inspired by Codependent Relationship's Antics series on Tumblr. Pure fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there, and welcome to my first chapter of this story on Archive of Our Own! For those of you who don't know, this is an AU Lieutenant Duckling Story, in a land where the curse was never cast, and Emma and Killian are about the same age. I'll be updating this about twice a week, as it's already finished :)**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

Killian never forgot the first time he met her, their first adventure. The first time he knew they would always protect each other.

She was alone in the marketplace, clearly looking for food. Well,  _looking_  wasn't the correct word. Scheming about what to steal, however, was a better term, and she was clearly thinking hard about it, with a little crease between her eyebrows, concentration and determination in her green eyes. She was short, yes, only a child, and no one would suspect her of thievery. At least, not right off the bat. Upon closer inspection, one might see that her dark brown cloak was tattered and muddy, her boots under the drab dress were cracked and scuffed, and her golden locks of hair were rather mussed, though that could have been due to the wind. She carried a large, hemp bag over all of this, slung over her right shoulder, the contents bumping against her left leg lightly every time she moved. A simple little peasant girl, she appeared to be.

He watched from his father's side as the little girl darted to and fro about the market, and only he saw her slip the foods from corners of the stands into her bag or pockets before slipping back into the crowd smoothly, calmly. Practiced and perfected moves.

Killian actually admired the girl's calm demeanor, though she couldn't have been older than him, perhaps seven or eight years old, though she looked as if she could be as young as six. Killian wondered if he should point out the little thief to anyone, but it was in that moment that he noticed how thing she was. Her arms were skeletal, her face gaunt. Even through her tattered cloak, her shoulder blades poked out like stunted wings. She stared at the big, obvious foods longingly, before going back to her task of snatching an apple here, and a carrot there. Little, singular things no one would miss.

The golden-haired thief was sneaking her small hand up to sneak an underripe banana from the closest stand to Killian when a unfortunate thing happened. The merchant, for no explainable reason, turned around at the exact moment the banana was halfway to the little girl's bag. Startled, then furious, the large man reached out and snatched the fruit back with so much force, the small girl tumbled forward, causing all of the contents of her large hemp bag to fall out, spilling into the area around her. It was undeniable, and it was clear in her eyes that she knew she had been caught.

The man who had first caught her stealing grabbed hold of her thin arm and yanked the golden-haired girl to her feet roughly. He noticed how the gold was too perfect to be caught in such a situation, too pretty for a beggar- a thief.

The rest of the market had gone quiet, and people had stepped back, creating a small clearing where the merchant and girl stood facing each other, their faces exuding heavy emotion, one anger, one fear.

"It wasn't my fault!" The girl cried out suddenly, tears threatening to appear on her face, waiting in the corners of her eyes, waiting for a blink that would send them over the edge. " _They_  make me do it! They always make me do it!" She exclaimed, pointing to a group of skinny, rough-looking teenagers who were standing at the edge of the crowd. The group started, realizing they had been outed by their own, and slowly slipped away and blended into the crowd to escape the merchant's venomous glare.

"If I catch you stealing from me ever again, I will make sure that you pay. And it will not be pleasant." He turned again on the frightened little girl, releasing her. Fighting back tears in her eyes, she blinked once, snatched up her half-empty bag, and ran off.

The crowd murrmured, not sure whether to feel bad for the mean merchant or the little thief. Killian turned to talk to his father, but The Captain had already turned to another vendor to buy more supplies. He huffed, crossing his arms dejectedly. His dad never gave the time of day to even glance at Killian.

Just then, he caught a flash of blonde hair in the corner of his eyes. Killian turned, and saw the group of teenagers pushing the little thief into a small alleyway between two buildings, but no one seemed to notice or care.

Killian flashed his eyes over to his father, who was still bargaining, and the crowded streets, everyone wrapped up in their own tasks. He gathered his bravery, and then pushed his way through the crowds, though it wasn't very hard as everyone had no problem making room the the little waist-high boy with those bright blue eyes. He said "Excuse me" and "thank you" to no one in particular as he made is way over to the alley. Manners still mattered.

By the time he got over there, the little girl was on her back, crying and bleeding from her nose, weakly holding up her hand to stop the punch, the punch a mean-looking blond boy was about to throw.  _It's now or never, Jones._  A voice seemed to say in his head, and Killian ran forward, pushed the girl out of the way, and thew himself in front of her, arms thrown out protectively. "No!" The word escaped his mouth instinctively, without thought.

The blonde kid narrowed his eyes at the well-dressed little sailor, running his eyes over the little boy's tailored blue overcoat, and pressed white pants. Quite different from the other kid's clothes. In fact, all of the teenagers and the little girl were dressed awfully, in ratty clothes. The young girl's cloak had hidden the worst of her outfit, but none of that mattered to him. Killian could see the dangerous hunger in each and every one of their eyes. They would stop at nothing to get food into their hungry mouths. And the little thief was the vessel for that food, Killian realized, seeing one of the older girl's eyes flick back and forth from Killian to an apple that was peeking from the little thief's bag.

"Get out of the way, and let me do what I need to." The guy who had been winding up for the next punch growled. "I don't have a quarrel you."

"Why do you want to hurt her?" Killian questioned, stalling, trying to keep his voice from wavering in fear, because boy, was this guy scary. He was wearing an old brown cloak with its hood up, but clearly unwashed, blonde hair peeked through it, and a long scar ran from the teeganers' right cheek to the tip of his chin. And he was pissed.

"She ruined our meal. And our chance of ever stealing from here again." The way he growled, it sounded like he felt a certain right had been taken from him.

"Then leave her behind." Killian suggested, his mind working fast.

The cloaked teenagers chuckled lightly, but not an amused chuckle. A dangerous, scary sort of laughter floated from their throats, the kind that screamed at Killian to get out alive while he still could. "Not until we've made her pay."

"You won't!" Killian declared, and with that, he grabbed the battered and bruised girls' hand and made a mad run for it, dashing into the crowded streets of the market.

"Wh- what are you doing?" She asked, clearly still stunned from the last blow to her head.

Killian was turning wildly, searching for his father. He hadn't been gone that long, his dad wouldn't have already left. "Oh, just saving you from those kids." He finally replied, walking through the streets and making sure to stay near the masses of people that lined the streets, trading and bargaining for merchandises.

"But they're my family." The little thief protested weakly, tugging at his hand, trying to convince him to take her back, though her eyes told a different story. Specifically the one that was swelling shut.

"Well, your family isn't very nice." Killian pointed out unhelpfully. "I suggest you find a new one. And soon."

The girl then wrenched her wrist out of his grasp, suddenly angry. He could practically see her defensive walls go up,  _bam, bam, bam, bam_. She tried to step back from Killian, but was nearly knocked over by a passerby, and instead stumbled into his arms. The young girl quickly pushed herself away, though, drawing her dirty cloak around herself. "Thanks for the tip." she mumbled sarcastically, and then added in a lower voice "And for saving me."

Killian bowed, like he'd seen his father and brother do before. "My pleasure."

She nodded at him, before turning and running off, towards the forest. He stood there, processing what he'd just done, before he went back to the ship where he knew his father would be waiting, proudly showing the crew all of their new purchases, but Killian paused once, looking back towards the woods, wondering if he'd ever see that little green-eyed thief again.

He did.

* * *

**Sooo? Cute? Bad? Made you pour acid over your device? (Please don't do that.)**

**Question: Tea or hot chocolate? (For those of you who are new to my stories: I ask a random question at the end of any story/chapter I post. Just a weird fun thing you can add to in your review.)**

**Remember, reviews bring quicker updates. True story.**

**BYENOW!**


	2. And That Was Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the second chapter of Antics, Emma and Killian once again meet under strange circumstances- and things in both of their lives change for the better.

**A/N: Hey there! As promised, chapter 2! Thanks so much for all the kudos, and shout-out to Izod for leaving a comment (:**

**Now I know I'll keep writing this fic- but remember, this was inspired by Codependent Relationship's drawings on Tumblr- you should really check them out, they're amazing and adorable (:**

**Oh, and I don't own the amazingness that is Once Upon a Time, and it hurts me every day to acknowledge this fact.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

_She gave him bread_.

It must have been nearly half a year since Emma had seen him, but he hardly looked any different. Same little tailored sailor's outfit, jet-black hair, and tanned skin from being out all day. Almost as if it were the very same day.

Except, as she crept out of the woods, her sanctuary and hiding place for the past six months, she noticed little things about him, things that were different. His getup was dirty- the boy's white pants were smeared with mud and grime, and his coat was torn in a couple of places. His black hair had been nice, neat, and combed when he saved her life, but now was all over the place, like the jet-black spikes had decided to rebel against the trimmed, properness that used to be his hair. And worst of all, the boy was crying. He was sitting against the side of an abandoned old house, silently weeping into his knees.

It suddenly occurred to Emma that: a) She didn't know the boy's name, and b) she didn't know if she should even be out of the woods. But it had been months, certainly the older kids weren't out to get her anymore.

 _A life for a life._  trilled a little voice if her head. _But he's not dying_. Emma shot back at it silently.

 _Fine. But you owe him a debt_. She couldn't believe herself, arguing with her own mind. However, it had a point. But Emma hesitated once more. The last time she'd teamed up with anyone, they ended up beating her up in an alley. She'd been hiding ever since, not trusting, just getting by, day by day. The only permanence she had ever had was the lonely life she was leading. This boy had saved her life- she would give him a chance. A chance to be trusted.

Gathering up her courage, Emma crept out of the woods and over to the house, waiting for him to look up and notice her. But he was too consumed in his sobs. Finally, she walked straight up to him, and cleared her throat the way she'd seen adults do when they wanted someone's attention.

The boy started in surprise, and she saw recognition quickly register in his eyes. He quickly swiped at the tears, but not in an embarrassed way, more of a  _Is that really you?_  kind of way- as if he couldn't believe she was actually there. Finally, he spoke. "You're the girl from the market, aren't you?"

Emma nodded, sitting down in front of him. "Yes, I am." He voice came out light, and quiet. Barely used. She hadn't any reason to talk while she'd been living in the woods. She would sneak out in the day, and steal a small amount of food from some marketplaces, alternating them throughout the weeks, and then go back to her hollowed out tree, and work on making it more comfortable. Adding more moss, keeping away animals, setting up a fire. She had stolen a cauldron from a junk pile on the edge of town, washed it in the river until she was sure almost all of the rust was gone, and began to use it to purify the river water. (She learned from the older kids that one had to boil the water if they didn't want to get sick.)

"What are you doing here?" He asked, jerking her back to the present. She blinked for a moment, before replying "I saw you, from over there." She pointed to the bush at the tree line from where she'd crawled out of. "You looked sad." She sat back on her heels, awaiting a response.

The boy stared at her until he realized that he was supposed to tell her why. "It's been a bad few months. My father... he left me and my brother. Just up and left the ship while we were docked in the White Kingdom in the middle of the night. My brother, Liam, looked for him for days, but he couldn't find him. So, Liam became captain of our ship. But he got so busy, he didn't have any time for me." Tears threatened to spill over the boy's eyes again. "So I left. But I've been wandering around for days, and I realize have nowhere to go. But I can't go back to the ship- I won't!" He declared the last bit strongly and tearfully.

As if to counter that statement, his stomach growled loudly. He winced in pain, and just then, Emma noticed the gaunt lines in his face. "You haven't eaten in days, have you?" She asked. He shook his head. Emma fished around in her bag, certain she had something for him. She had only managed to swipe one thing from the market this morning, as hardly anyone was there today, and there weren't enough crowds for her to disappear in. Half reluctantly, she drew out the small, misshapen loaf of bread she had swiped from the display table outside of a bakery. She had planned to steal some milk from a nearby farm, and make a meal of it, maybe get two days' worth of food out of it- but the boy was clearly starving, and Emma wasn't- well, not as much anyway. "Take this." She said, holding out the bread.

The boy paused, uncertain. However, his hunger got the best of him, and he soon reached over and took the loaf, and ripped a piece from it before biting hungrily into the soft bread like he hadn't eaten in days. Then, Emma remembered, he hadn't.

"Want some?" The black-haired boy offered her half of the bread. Emma paused, considering. She hadn't eaten in two days, but he was clearly more hungry than she, but Emma could also read in his small face that he was sincere in his desire to share.

"Yes, thank you." She accepted her half and bit into it, not bothering to waste time with ripping off pieces of it. After chewing in silence for a few minutes, Emma piped up again. "You know, I don't even know your name." She was surprised by this fact- the boy had saved her life, and she didn't even know what he was called.

The boy also looked startled, as though the name-exchanging hadn't even occurred to him. "I guess we were too busy saving each other's lives." He joked, and Emma let out a little laugh. "I'm Killian. Killian Jones." He stuck a hand out.

"I'm Emma Swan." Emma was taken aback by the formal gesture- he hardly looked to be eight, why would he be displaying such manners?- but she shook his hand anyway.

"So what's your story?" Killian asked, taking a bite of his bread. Emma hesitated. Should she tell him? She barely knew this Killian kid. There was the whole saving-her-life-thing, and they were eating bread together, and the obvious abandoned-by-his-father sailor thing, but that was all she had to go on. Which was actually quite a lot. "I mean, I know that you were running with those older kids, but what about before them. Where are you from?" He continued after he swallowed.

Emma took a deep breath. She could trust him. "I don't know. All I remember is living on the streets. About a year ago, those kids found me. They weren't so bad, as long as we had enough to eat. I was usually the person they sent to steal food. They said since I was so small, no one would suspect me. All we really did during the day was steal food so we'd have enough for us all to eat. Sometimes, we'd stay in an abandoned house with a fireplace, and Felix would cook us stuff over the fireplace." She smiled, tossed back into the happy memory briefly, before remembering where she was, and what had come to pass. "But they were rather mean, I suppose. Ever since you saved me, I've been living in the woods." She stuck her thumb in the direction of the tree line. "I'd like to guess that they've moved on, but I wouldn't know. I haven't seen them in a while, so I believe I am safe. And that's all I know."

Killian nodded thoughtfully, chewing slowly. "Huh." Was all he said.

The pair of children sat in silence for a while, swatting at a bug every now and then. Finally, Emma took charge and broke the silence again. "What are you going to do now?" She inquired the sailor boy.

His small face scrunched up, thinking hard. "I... don't know. All I know is I am  _not_ going back to that ship again. The crew is scary!" The look in his eyes was light, though, and Emma offered a small smile at him, a little ray of sunshine in that dark time.

"You can stay with me. I mean, I live in a tree, but..." She trailed off, but held his eyes, confidence displayed across her features.

Surprise danced its way on to the black-haired boy's face. "Really? You'd let me?"

Emma shrugged like it was no big deal, finally trusting again, standing up to brush off her rather ragged dress. "Why not? It's lonely, living out there all by yourself." That wasn't a lie- every day she felt the gaping hole of loneliness, sitting in her chest. She had no one, no family, no friends, no one.

The pair gathered up their things- which consisted of the remainders of the bread, Emma's bag, and their capes- and Killian let Emma lead him to her home- the hollowed out tree, mossy and cozy, surrounded by wildflowers that had spilled over from a nearby meadow. From that day on, it was their home.

Little did Emma know, on that day, as she and Killian slipped back into the forest, they became a family, the best of friends, and each other's most trusted ally. It would be years until something could ever drag them apart.

* * *

**D'aww. So cute! I know they act older than seven, but keep in mind both of them were on their own for a while, even when they were with people, which has caused them to be more mature in order to get by and survive. And yes, there will be more, and very soon.**

**Question: Who remembers Tooth Tunes? I had a Hannah Montana one when I was a kid. #noshame**

**BYENOW!**


	3. Life Could Be a Dream

**A/N: I feel like an awful author. For many reasons. One: I'm writing this while looking up cupcake recipes. 2) I'm writing this note in advance, so I don't have to add it in when I do publish (*coughcoughwritecoughcough*) this chapter. Unfortunately, now I have about 13 recipes open on my browser- some of them aren't even cupcakes! Anyway… This chapter is purely a filler, just so I can inform you of my terrible, horrible, no-good writer's block. It's not that I can't write- it's that I can't write anything that I feel is good enough for you guys. I've been drowning my sorrows in baking. It's worked out pretty well, except I might need to hit the gym soon...**

**Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed, and I hope you like this piece of fluff. Next chapter is more** **angsty. Remember, kids: Reviews bring faster updates!**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"Killian!" Emma laughed loudly as she ran across the meadow as fast as she could. "You'll never catch me!" She crouched low in the towering plants, surrounded by tall grass, wildflowers, and the quiet hum of insects buzzing around pleasantly.

She spotted Killian's black, unruly hair among the fronds, but couldn't see the rest of her best friend. "I'll find you!" He called teasingly. "I always do!"

Emma smiled. It was true. In the year or so that they'd been with each other, she had discovered just how good Killian was at finding, well, anything. Moss for their tree,bustling markets with food seemingly ready to be stolen- and her. Their current favorite game was hide and seek, though Emma wasn't patient enough to hide for very long, and Killian was very adept at finding the girl, so hide-and-seek was not going to last long on their unwritten list of games to play.

Emma realized she could no longer see her best friend's hair above the weeds. She was about to stand up and look for him when she felt a finger on both sides of her push lightly into her waist. She shrieked, half out of surprise, half out of the weird buzz that ran through her being. "What was that?!" She yelled already knowing who'd buzzed her. She was half angry at him, and half impressed that he had snuck up on her so easily.

"That is called a Buzz, because it gives you a buzz throughout your entire body. Liam pulled it on me a lot, before he…" Killian trailed off, a cloud of sadness crossing his face, but he brushed it off quickly, turning on a smile for Emma.

"Come, let's go home." The young girl encouraged, taking the former sailor's hand. He smiled for real this time, and the duo made their way through the meadow and back to their hollowed out tree.

They happily took care of chores, such as lighting a fire, boiling water, eating dinner- fish, as usual (Killian had an affinity for fishing- or maybe just a talent for sitting still). Still, with his fishing and her thievery, they never went hungry. Emma was grateful, not only for the full belly, but the companionship, someone who protected her not only from the nightmares, but any potential danger. She always pretended to be annoyed- she'd taken care of herself all of her life- she didn't  _need_ saving- but she secretly appreciated him even more for it. He made her feel safe, happy. He was her family now. He was all she needed.

It got dark soon after the pair ate, and Emma, who had been sleepily rubbing her eyes since before dinner. She wrapped her cloak tightly around herself before crawling into the large hole in the tree, ready for sleep.

Killian sat on a protruding root. Try as he might, today he could not stop thinking about his former life. His world had been so different then. He  _had_  been happy, before his father left. Once Liam had taken over as Captain, and got busy though, he was constantly being forgotten about and looked down upon, as he was the only young boy on board. He'd felt… lonely.

But with Emma, he never felt that. She was his and he was hers, and time and time again, they proved to each other again and again every day that they would never leave one another. He stood up and paced the area that they had dubbed their "front yard". He'd never had a yard, as he lived on a boat for all of his life, and Emma couldn't remember a home or family either, so having a yard made the pair very pleased to say the least.

The tree had large, thick roots protruding from the ground. They curved around gracefully, creating a kind of misshapen circle around the opening of the tree, with smaller roots popping out of the dirt here and there. Patches of grass appeared sparsely, and their meager belongings were either strewn around the lawn, or stored in the tree, where they would be safe. Killian poured their cauldron of water over the still-smoking embers residing in the stone-surrounded fire pit, putting out the chance of a flame for good- if only for the night at least. He glanced around, one more time, to make sure there was no one there, no one who would try to harm Emma- or him. But, as always, the only noise was the peaceful chirping or the birds, and the faint rustling of leaves high above, the treetops that scraped the sky. He turned and crawled into the tree, having never felt more at home.

Their "home" wasn't of the traditional kind, but as Emma had stated more than once, 'Home is where the heart is'. Emma's heart was completely and fully with Killian. It was practically impossible for her to imagine her life without him, and she didn't like to even try.

Nor did he. Killian had never doubted her, his trust for his friend unwavering, no matter what the situation was. The day Emma became his home, he never wanted to leave her.

The little thief-  _his_  little thief, as he called her, was curled into a ball, her cape draped over her shoulders for warmth, back against the curved wall of the tree. Killian removed his own cape from his shoulders and used it as a blanket as well- the summer was ending, and cold was beginning to settle in the kingdom, and especially the forest. The boy made a mental note for him and Emma to cut down a tree sometime soon- but not use it for firewood. They needed more protection. It _would have to be big_ , he thought sleepily, pulling his knees up to his chest, letting his head rest on the cushy moss.  _But at least we'd have a door._

His thoughts began to drift sleepily, and his mind drew up fantastic plans for their home, and his imagination created a castle, with the tree and all of its roots at the core, forever. No matter how many rooms he created in the castle, his dream always led him back to the tree. And Emma was always there, waiting for him to come and play.

Emma tossed and turned fitfully in her sleep, her feet kicking against the side of the trunk. Still half asleep, Killian, with his eyes closed, habitually reached out and eventually found her hand. Once their fingers were intertwined, the pair could finally slip into safe, uninterrupted sleep.

* * *

**Much cute. Very fluff. Wow.**

**I have a lot more to say on this, but it's late, and I have homework to do, a baking blog to update, and school tomorrow. Yeesh.**

**Question: Minty gum of fruity gum?**

**Reviews make a happy author, and a happy author is an author who updates more!**

**BYENOW!**


	4. Come With Me

**A/N: Guess who's sick? Don't bother, it's me! So I wrote up this lovely little chapter for you. If time permits, I might write another one later, but I still have homework to do and OUAT to make sarcastic comments about. Oh, I remember when I was young, free, and not dying of illness. If I had only lived my life to the fullest, blah blah...**

**Anyway, I hope you like it, because this is where I change things up a bit! Unless you've seen CR's drawings, in which case, you already know what's gonna happen. It you haven't, go check out Codependent Relationships beautiful CS drawings, of which these stories are derived! Also, as far as I'm aware, the days of the week existed in medieval England, which is where the EF is based on- if I'm incorrect in any way, please feel free to let me know!**

**Remember, reviews make my heart and CS muse sing out loud!**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

The next morning, Emma woke up first, so it was she who set up the fire. She was still sitting at the edge of the fire pit, warming her hands when Killian woke up.

"Autumn is definitely coming, isn't it?" He remarked as he crawled out of the tree, drawing his cloak tighter around himself. Emma nodded in agreement, and then reluctantly stood up to fetch the cauldron. "You want help with that?" Killian asked unhelpfully after she had already picked it up. The black cauldron was perhaps half the young girl's size and weight, especially heavy when filled with water, but Emma shook her head anyway. She dragged the cumbersome object over to the pit, and with Killian's help, lifted it onto their somewhat sturdy spit over the flames. The pair sat in comfortable quiet for a while, enjoying the heat on their faces in the crisp chill of the morning.

"Today, the markets should be full," Killian finally broke the silence again, nodding towards their day-marker. A soft-barked tree stood just outside their "lawn" and they had marked it with seven columns, the first letter of each day of the week at the top, and tallies underneath, marking each Monday, Tuesday, and so on, that passed them. They had worked out their system of markets according to the days of the week- which markets were most useful to them on which days.

"It's week's end." He continued. "Also, we need to pick up the bread. The flowers are at the ready." He pointed to the small bushel of wildflowers they had picked the day before, after their game. He was, of course, talking about the basket of stale bread that appeared about once a week at the edge of the forest, near the abandoned house where the pair had shared their first "meal". Emma was, at first, distrustful of the bread, but after Killian had taken a bite and not collapsed on the ground in pain, she agreed to accept the offering. They started filling the basket with wildflowers as thanks to whoever was leaving them sustenance. The basket would always be gone the next day, and the children didn't have the patience to sit around and try to figure out who their "guardian angel" was. The one time they did try to stake out the area, they had fallen asleep. For now, the children were content with their routine, and saw no point in changing it.

The small boy stood and fetched the small knife he'd brought with him from the ship. He'd initially intended to use it for protection, but the only use it was getting these day was to mark the days and maybe cut wildflowers or moss. He added a tally under the Friday column, and stuck the knife between his belt and shirt, as he didn't have a sheath for it.

"All right. But this time, I pick what we get. You know I hate radishes, yet you still take ridiculous quantities of them every single time I let you choose." Emma complained, fetching her bag. Killian laughed, taking the comment in stride as he and Emma picked their way through the forest toward the Dock Market- a special place to them, as it had been where their first encounter took place- the first time they knew they would protect each other.

"So, what are we getting today?" He asked his companion in a quiet voice as they neared the market.

"No bananas, that's for sure." She joked weakly. Whenever they were trolling the Dock Market, they made sure to steer clear of the banana stand, for obvious reasons. "Potatoes and pears look plentiful right now, so they won't be missed. And…" She scanned the stands, her thief's eyes noting where crowds swarmed and thinned, where the most useful and savory items were as opposed to the food that only would last them a day. "Turnips look pretty well-stocked, so maybe you could go get some of them while I fetch us a few potatoes?" She suggested. Killian nodded in approval, and the pair split up, ready for some fresh food.

Killian was excited about the potential of their haul. If Emma was able to grab at least two potatoes, and he could sneak a few turnips without being noticed, they could make a real meal out of things. Especially if there was bread tonight. Potatoes, bread, turnips…

He shook himself out of his thoughts, remembering to focus on the task at hand. At that exact moment, a kindly-looking old woman and what appeared to be her two grandchildren stopped by the turnip stand.  _Perfect_ , Killian thought, his face breaking into a smile. The two little boys were jumping around and throwing turnips at each other- the perfect sort of distraction.

Sure enough, the merchant was completely focused on the two boys, an amused smile spread across his face, and Killian had no problem bouncing up and down along with them, except for every two turnips he picked up, one would mysteriously disappear, until he had at least four clenched by the stem in one hand that he kept held in the folds of his cloak. He bounced away, feigning interest in other stands. He saw Emma across the way, and was about to make his way over to her, to dump his spoils in her bag, when a hand placed itself on his shoulder, and turned him around to meet its owner.

"Killian?" Liam's voice bordered on disbelief. Killian couldn't quite believe the scene himself. There, right in front of him, was his brother. New stress lines had etched themselves onto his forehead, and his skin seemed more tanned than before, but other than that, Liam appeared unchanged. But something in his brother's eyes told Killian that wasn't entirely true.

"Liam…" Killian murmured hesitantly. Before he could process what was happening, his older brother pulled him into a tight hug. Killian sort of patted his brother's back with his one hand, the other one still occupied with concealing the turnips. Liam suddenly stepped back, as if realizing his brother's apparent lack of a left hand. Reluctantly, Killian revealed the turnips he had been holding, before drawing his hand back into the safety of his cloak quickly. Liam raised his eyebrows, skeptical at first, and then hurt.

"Is that what you've been doing this past year?" Liam managed, sounding choked. "Stealing?" Killian noticed that there were tears in his brother's eyes, but couldn't possibly fathom as to why. He nodded, and Liam sighed in a resigned way, as if he simply had to accept it. Just like that. "We have a lot of talking to do, little brother." The older man finally said after a long beat. He took Killian's hand in his and started leading Killian towards the docks.  _Towards the Jewel of the Realm_ , Killian realized in horror.

"No!" He exclaimed suddenly, and with a twist of his wrist, he was free of Liam's (loose) grasp, and he was running back to his best friend, who was looking around for him, scared, confused, and clearly nervous. He couldn't leave her alone, especially not here, so close to where she almost died. "Emma!" He tapped her on the shoulder, and the girl turned around clearly relieved, though the pleased look soon disappeared from her lightly freckled face when she saw the expression on his.

"What? What is it?" Emma asked, looking over his shoulder, searching for angry merchants or mangy teenagers running towards them with murderous glints in their eyes, and found none. But there was an impeccably dressed sailor coming their way.

Emma looked into Killian's eyes, and something clicked in her brain. "Is that your brother?" She asked in a thin whisper, shocked.

The boy barely had time to nod before Liam was upon them. "Killian, we must go!" He insisted, attempting to take Killian's hand again. Again, the boy dodged his grasp and instead latched on to Emma's hand.

"I won't leave her!" He declared, holding his brother's eyes, unwavering. Liam's eyes flicked back and forth between the two, clearly not expecting this.

Emma slowly stepped behind Killian to avoid Liam's questioning gaze, instead taking a sudden interest in the ragged hem of her dress. She hadn't noticed how ripped-up it had become until this moment. It wasn't as though she could fix it- she hadn't the supplies- but she was still curious as to how such a thing could have slipped her notice.

"She's my family." Killian added, his voice softer. Emma peeked up at him through her lashes, though the only thing she could see was the back of his head. The girl squeezed his hand, reciprocating the statement with only a twitch of her muscles.

The bond between these two was clear and strong, there was no denying that. Liam nodded slowly. "I can't just leave you now, knowing where you are and that I'm not with you." He said, at war with himself. "When you first ran away, I searched for you for weeks, but the crew eventually forced me back on to the ship- we still had a job for the king to do- and they wouldn't let me put their hides on the line for you. I haven't had a restful night since you left. I thought you were dead…" Liam's voice trailed off, and Emma could hear the utter anguish in his voice, and remembered Liam had also lost his father in that same year.  _To lose your family so quickly…_  And now she was faced with the same possibility.

Killian felt sick, realizing the utter torture he'd put Liam through, and stepped closer to his brother, who was crouched on the ground in order to be eye level with the children. "I… I'm sorry," He began, not sure how else to apologize. "You're my family too. I didn't want to leave you either. I still don't. But Emma and I stick together. We would never leave each other. We promised." He added more firmly, his steady gaze fierce.  _If you make me leave her..._

As he spoke the words, he saw Liam perk up, not only at the apology, but with something else too. Hope. "I have an idea," He said, peeking around Killian's shoulder at Emma, who had looked up. "But only if you agree to it."

The next day, The Jewel of The Realm set sail with two new passengers- Liam's lost brother, Killian, and his new friend, Em. Em was a smaller boy than Killian, with more delicate features and longer hair, tied back in a bow, but no one dared question the Captain's motives or his new guests- who quickly became accepted and beloved by even the gruffest of crew members. And so, Emma and Killian set off on new adventures across the seven seas, trusting Liam to guide them through hard times and hopes and fears. Their new family was small, and broken, but it was home.

* * *

**Yeeee now we're off to the Seven Seas! Next chapter's gonna be super short and super fluffy, FYI. Oh, and so Emma has to be disguised as a boy, because there was no possible way they would allow a little girl on their ship.**

**Question: What makes you feel better when you're sick? I need advice here.**

**Remember, reviews make the heart grow fonder.**

**BYENOW!**


	5. Sleeping Arrangements

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the advice! I'm feeling much better, and I have a new chapter for you! It's basically a drabbly- but it's important to me because the picture it's based on inspired this entire series.**

**The response to this story has been so amazing and sweet- I could not ask for better readers :) Thank you all so much- and there is a lot more to come :)**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

Liam wan't quite sure what to make of it. Was he supposed to endorse it, punish it, or say nothing at all?

Every night after they arrived on the Jewel of the Realm, Liam would put Emma and Killian to bed in their separate beds, and yet every morning he would awake to find them both curled up in Emma's bunk. Finally, after a few weeks of this occurring, he decided to investigate.

"Good night, Emma," Liam murmured, patting her head affectionately. In her short time on the ship, Liam had grown fond of the little girl. Despite her initial nervousness, she had begun to show a little more of her personality day by day- and boy, if she wasn't a spitfire. Liam was wrapped around her little finger instantly.

Night had fallen, and the pair had eagerly crawled into bed, exhausted from their days' adventures. They had separate quarters from the crew, which was helpful for Emma, who had refused to cut her hair to fit in better and look more like a boy. Liam had't argued it, and simply placed them in a small room that had once been used for storage. Its one tiny window let in the light of moon, which wasn't very helpful in illuminating the room. She nodded sleepily and rolled on to her side. Liam fumbled his way across the room to Killian. "Good night, Killian." He planted a kiss on his little brother's forehead and stepped outside for a good few minutes, giving the pair time to fall asleep, before he silently slipped back inside. He perched himself on a stool in the corner, wondering what forces could possibly draw Killian into his best friend's bunk.

Mere minutes later, he got his answer. Emma stirred, and then cried out, thrashing in her sleep. _Nightmares,_ Liam realized. Before he could make his way over to calm the child, Killian, clearly not fully awake, slipped out of his bunk and clambered into hers. After taking her tiny hand in his, Emma calmed down, and the pair easily fell back into the grasp of sleep.

Liam stayed on his stool, surprised, before realizing he had no reason to be. The pair shared a bond, something deeper than just simple friendship. They seemed to share a soul. They were a package deal- when they were separated during the day, each became a slightly more sullen version of themselves, their faces like the sky, lighting up whenever the sun broke through a heavy bank of clouds whenever they were reunited, even if the other had only been gone a few hours.

The Captain decided it wasn't harmful to let them carry on the way they were- after all, only he and Killian knew Emma's secret- and sure enough, this continued for many years. It seemed to be instinctual- that one always knew when the other one needed them.

* * *

**Excuse me while I go die from the cute. And because I'm sick.**

**QUESTION: Do you ever have those moments when one of your fingers is burning hot, but the others are ice cold? For example, my thumb feels like it's on fire, but my other fingers are like ice. Let me know if this is normal or if I'm going insane :P**

**Or, you could just leave a comment on the story.**

**BYENOW!**


	6. The Great Cookie Escapade

**A/N: Hello everyone! So sorry I haven't posted in a while- I have finals next week, so things have been crazy! This is another short chapter, but the next one is rather long, so I hope that will make it up to you.**

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, and for following, favoriting and bearing with me as I navigate this story. I really appreciate it- you're all simply amazing.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"Em!" Killian called to his best friend from across the ship. The disguised little girl had been peeking over the edge of the ship at the stern, contentedly watching the water go by. She turned at her name, eyes searching for the source of that familiar voice.

Killian waved at her from the bow, right next to Liam, who was standing at the wheel, both of them smiling at her. She ran to them, darting around the crew nimbly as they went about with their duties. "What is it?" She asked as she reached them.

"We just didn't want you falling overboard." Liam explained kindly, turning his eyes back towards the sea as he did so. The day was clear and warm, perfect for sailing. Tiny, puffy clouds drifted by lazily overhead, and the call of seagulls informed them that they were not far from land. The water was rushing by quickly, and Liam was not taking any chances with the small girl.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I've told you many times that I won't fall." The seven year old looked exasperated, and Killian laughed at the expression on her face. "You never think he's going to fall!" She added, whirling on her friend, clearly annoyed.

Killian stopped giggling, but was continued smiling. "That's because I won't." He informed her smugly.

"Oh, please! You can hardly balance on your two feet as is!" She cried, playfully pushing him. Sure enough, the black-haired boy teetered a bit, but soon righted himself.

"At least I'm a better chaser than you!" He fired back, and at that, the two darted off, Emma two steps ahead of Killian, shrieking as they ran down the steps and around the deck of the ship a couple of times before she took an unexpected turn into the galley. Killian skidded to a halt and scrambled in after her.

The kitchen was big and wooden and silver, with pots, pans, and kettles lined up on the wall, a caboose on one side of the room, and squeaky-clean countertops and shelves lined with different jars of various ingredients and foods on the other side. Killian found the little girl perched on one of the countertops. The cook wasn't there, and the kitchen seemed strange and empty without the familiar banging of pots, and delicious smells drifting in the air. "I can still catch you!" He called to her, not ready to give up. "I just need a second to… you know… breathe." His words came in pants, and the small boy dramatically fell to the floor, clutching at his chest. "I… see… the light." Killian moaned weakly, reaching with one hand toward the ceiling, before completely going limp, as though he were dead.

Killian heard Emma hop off the stove and creep toward him. He prepared for some sort of nudge on his side or her pulling open his eyelid or something along those lines. He was not prepared for Emma to cry "Look, a pillow!" and enthusiastically throw herself across him.

"Oof! Gods, Emma!" He yelped in surprise. Emma laughed, her smile next to radiant, clearly pleased with herself. He tried to sit up, but Emma stayed stretched across his stomach and wouldn't move. "Get off me." He groaned, trying to push her off.

"Not until you say please." She singsonged, placing her elbows on the ground, and her face in her hands, looking perfectly content, staring around the kitchen innocently, but she still was crushing Killian's lungs as she did so.

" _Please_ , I can't breathe."

"Fine, you weakling." She chirped, sitting up. "Anyway, I'm going to need your help."

He slowly rose from the ground, taking huge breaths as he did so. "And what is that?"

Emma pointed to one of the shelves and Killian followed with his eyes, and there it was, sitting on the wooden shelf like the holy grail. A big, glass jar, filled to the brim with cookies. He turned to look excitedly at Emma, who grinned back at him.

He was not smiling a minute later, as he was on his hands and knees while Emma stood on his back straining to reach the jar. "Any day now." He said through his teeth. Though his desire for cookies was strong, his desire to  _not_  have Emma break his back was stronger.

"I'm almost there." She promised, her voice also strained. Two seconds later, she tumbled off her best friend, clutching something in her arms.

"Emma!" Killian cried, straightening, and instantly regretting it. " _Ow."_  He groaned, rubbing his back.

"Are you okay?" They asked each other at the same time. Emma victoriously held up what she had been clutching- the jar of cookies- and suddenly they both felt much better.

Killian pulled the top off the jar and grabbed a cookie, taking a huge, greedy bite, the taste of chocolate and cookie overwhelming his senses for a minute, and had no doubt he would be falling into a cookie-induced food-coma in no time. One glance at Emma, and Killian knew she would be doing the same. The cookies were grabbed at one by one, and eaten so quickly the pair soon found themselves in hiccups, causing them to laugh at each other, inducing even more hiccups from the other, and before long they were in hysterics, peals of laughter slightly muffled by the delicious confections in their mouths.

Liam walked in to find Emma handing Killian a cookie while munching on a cookie herself, both of their faces covered in crumbs. "Well, well, well," Liam mused, strolling over to them. The pair froze, both of their eyes going wide. "It seems we have a couple of thieves in our midst." Emma and Killian smiled at that, glancing at each other, as if to say,  _Yep, we're partners in crime. Forever_.

And that they were.

* * *

**Aw, cuties. This story is so sweet I'm getting a cavity.**

**Question: Do you want cinnamon roll blondies right now? Or cookies? Because I made the blondies on Tuesday, and now they're all gone and I'm still craving them.**

**Four more chapters till the end of this story :( Unless you want more...? Let me know what you want in the reviews!** **Remember, reviews are always welcome. They fill my heart with the warm and fuzzies, and give me the inspiration to update faster.**

**BYENOW!**


	7. A Little Fun

**A/N: Hey, y'all!**

**This chapter is wicked long, and I hope you love it, because I do. This chapter may seem like a really long filler, but I promise- It's not. Also, yes, I am borrowing a quote from Lilo and Stitch. I suppose now would be a good time to mention that I don't own any of these characters. Eddy, Adam, and Disney do.**

**Thank you all so, so, so much. You're simply amazing. Thanks for all of your kind reviews- and constructive** **criticisms** **. It** **means** **so much to me.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"Wake up! Wakeupwakeupwakeup!" Emma was shouting at Killian. He grumbled something about pushing her overboard and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep, but Emma wouldn't have any of that. "Come  _on_ , sleepyhead, it's our day off!" She urged, pushing his shoulder.

The raven-haired boy turned back toward her and peeked at the girl through one sleepy blue eye. "So…?" He mumbled, clearly not following her logic.

" _So_ , the entire crew is on land, which means we have the whooooole ship to ourselves!" Emma put extra emphasis on the word whole, just to make sure her friend understood the importance of that. The Jewel of the Realm was huge, and almost always bustling with activity. Having the whole ship to play on was a dream come true- especially for Emma. She wouldn't have to pretend to be a boy for the whole day.

Killian opened his other eye and stared at his friend. Emma was sitting up on her knees- nightshirt still on, hair a mess, and her green eyes sparkling with a hunger for adventure. To see her like this, open, undisguised, it was almost as if they were back in the woods, just the two of them against the world, forever and always.

Then the ship rocked slightly against a wave, and he remembered that wasn't true anymore. He still had Emma, but she wasn't his little thief anymore. She was a secret, disguised and hidden. He got the sense she didn't like this anymore than he did, but it was a small price to pay for a family. It was small, and broken, but still good.

"Okay, okay." He consented, rolling out of bed. Emma made a happy little noise and tossed the covers away. They fished around their small piles of stuff for their clothes, and Killian left the room to give Emma some privacy so she could change.

_"_ _It's only proper,_ " Liam had told Killian on his and Emma's first day aboard _. "You give a lady space and privacy."_  Killian and Emma didn't care for these rules, but they also didn't desire to disobey Liam, so they followed this one.

Killian did a double take when Emma stepped out of the room. Instead of her usual sailor's getup, the young girl had donned a white blouse that she used to wear underneath her old dress, and the clean white sailor's pants she wore every day. Her golden hair was loose around her shoulders, and her eyes seemed… brighter. They sparkled with excitement, a thrill she hadn't displayed in what felt like months. She didn't look anything like the boy she usually had to pretend to be, and she was clearly thrilled.

The boy stared at her for a moment before remembering what he was doing. "Uh, okay, my turn." He managed, and ducked inside the room to change out of his nightclothes.

Outside the room, Emma reveled in not having her hair pulled back, or having to wear that stiff blue uniform coat every day. She loved the feeling of pants though, the freedom it gave her. She was twirling and jumping around when Killian stepped out of the room. He, unlike Emma, did not have much else to wear but his little uniform, so he looked like he always did, sans blue coat and waistcoat.

"What first?" He asked, clapping his hands excitedly. The whole day, the whole ship... the possibilities were endless.

Emma put a finger to her chin, thinking hard. "Hm… Oh!" Once again, her emerald eyes lit up, and Killian felt something flutter deep within his stomach. A tingle, or perhaps nausea. He would never admit this to anyone, but he tended to get a bit seasick from time to time. No matter, he smiled and waited for Emma to continue. "Race you to the crow's nest!" She cheered, and took off in the direction of the deck.

Caught completely by surprise, to took a second for the little boy to register what she said, and when he did, she was already outside. "Curses," He muttered, taking off after her.

The bright light of day hit him like a cannonball, and he stumbled, blinded by the sudden brightness. As his eyes adjusted, he saw Emma scrambling up the rope ladder, halfway to the top. "No!" He cried, and made a mad dash to the mast, though his efforts were futile. Emma was sitting at the top, completely relaxed as he heaved himself up next to her, panting and huffing.

"Wow, you're really, really slow." She commented playfully. Killian simply glared at her to cover up his embarrassment, but Emma clearly knew he wasn't actually mad at her.

"I… let you… win." He managed between heavy breaths. Emma snickered, and turned to look at the view below them. The port where they were teemed with activity and life, muscular men lifting barrels and lugging crates aboard of off of ships. Many other people simply walked by, or paused to watch the ships for a moment, before moving on disinterestedly. They all looked very tiny from up high, but it was similar to every port they stopped in.

"Right. And I'm the captain of this ship." She fired back sarcastically, before sitting up straighter. "Speak of the devil…"

Killian pulled himself into a sitting position, peeing through the bars of their perch. "Brother!" He called to Liam, and the older man started, looking around him to find the source of the voice. "Up here!" Killian added helpfully.

Liam's gaze finally found the pair of children, and he broke into a smile. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my two troublemakers." He said to them. Emma feigned innocence by placing a hand over her heart and making a hurt face, as if to say  _What? Me? Never._ "What are you two up to?

Before Killian could respond, Emma called "I just beat your brother in a race up here. He's slower than a snail" She paused. "No offense, Killian. Just because I'm faster than you doesn't mean- Ow!" She smacked his hand away from her arm before he could pinch her again. "Rude." She huffed, sitting down next to him.

Killian flashed Emma a toothy grin, and the two proceeded to push each other around until it turned into a chasing game once again, first around the crow's nest, then down the ladder, and around the decks.

Liam shielded his eyes from the sun, watching at the two children play gleefully. Seeing Killian so happy filled Liam with a sense of relief, like he had finally done something right for his little brother. Ever since their father had vanished, and Liam had been promoted to Captain, he'd been trying to balance being a Captain with being a stand-in parent to a six-year-old, but he had always felt like he was doing something wrong. When Killian vanished, it seemed that all of Liam's worst fears were confirmed. He really  _was_  a terrible parent after all, and his little brother had given up on him. Or so he thought.

Finding Killian a year later seemed to be a blessing from the gods. A second chance. And Emma, though he first was uneasy about her, seemed to be like finding something he didn't even know was missing. She completed their family. Sure, they weren't a perfect or traditional family, but they loved each other. And that was all that mattered.

Liam suddenly had an idea. While Killian and Emma continued to zoom tirelessly around the ship, their laughter ringing out like church bells, loud and clear and pleasant; the Captain ducked into his quarters and rummaged around for a few minutes until he had found the supplies he needed. Upon emerging, he was surprised and amused to find Killian and Emma splayed out in the middle of the deck, apparently already exhausted. They were both on their backs, though Emma was draped over Killian's stomach, dramatically pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. Killian didn't seem to care. His blue eyes were hidden behind his lids, and appeared to be soaking up the sunlight, which was uninterrupted by clouds or trees.

Smiling, Liam sat down on the deck near them and set out his parchment. He dipped his quill in the ink, and made his first mark on the page. Luckily for him, the dangerous duo didn't move for a long time, though they chatted quietly about inane subjects, and Liam soon zoned out on everything but the image before him, the image he was currently attempting to replicate on the page. He was no artist, but his drawing skills were most certainly not bad.

"Emma! Killian!" He called to the slumped forms. They jumped instantly, moving in unison. Emma yawned slightly, and Liam realized they had probably fallen asleep. "I didn't mean to wake you." He apologized as they wandered over to him.

Emma was rubbing her eyes, which had the undeniable glaze of a person who had been suddenly yanked away from their dreams. Killian, however, was as bright eyed and bushy-tailed as ever. "Fear not, brother. I couldn't fall asleep due to a certain someone passed out atop me." He playfully nudged Emma, who stuck her tongue out at him.

Liam's fingers fidgeted with his paper as he spoke. "I'm sure. That's why I drew this." He turned the paper towards the pair. They leaned closer to get a better look. The captain realized he was actually slightly nervous, anxious for the approval of these children. Children, for gods' sakes!

Emma broke into a grin, and Liam let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "That looks exactly like us!" She exclaimed, pulling on Killian's sleeve. He nodded, smiling more at his friend than the picture.

"Thank you, brother." Killian said, and looked Liam right in the eye, telling him more than he could with words. The thanks wasn't just for the drawing. It was for taking a moment away from being in charge, from being Captain Jones of the Jewel of the Realm, and being all theirs. Being a parent of sorts. It was an apology for leaving. A picture was worth a thousand words, but a gaze could covey an infinity.

Liam smiled, and suddenly got an idea. He leaned forward on his knees, setting the picture aside. "How would you like to learn how to sail the ship?"

An hour later, the three of them were still at the helm. Killian and Emma were now using the wheel as some sort of tug of war, each trying to tug it down towards them, though they knew it would simply go around in a circle. They had been paying great attention up until then, listening appreciatively as Liam explained currents, the use of the mast and the sails, and finally, the helm itself. He allowed the pair to play with the wheel for a while, and stood back to watch in amusement. He wanted to sketch them again, but feared that if he left to get parchment and ink, the two could very well "accidentally" set sail.

Instead, he had another, better plan. "You know, you don't get to be captain without a little hard work." He said. The two children stopped playing and turned to look at the Captain, confused. "I had to do a little hard work. I had to, for instance, swab the deck!" With a flourish, he gestured to a mop and a bucket left out on the deck, clearly planned to be used later on. As if on cue, the mop slid to the floor, as if it couldn't even stand its own boringness anymore. The drab bucket was rusty, gray, and dented.

Killian groaned. "But Liaaaam," He whined. "I swab the deck almost every day. You said we had a day off." Emma simply stared at the bucket skeptically, as is she were judging it on its awfulness.

"And now you get to swab it again!" Liam chirped. "You only have to do the lower level, as the deck up here is immaculate." He added after seeing the slight annoyance and betrayal in his brother's eyes.

Emma let out a sigh, and the pair trudged dan the stairs, grumbling about how unfair it was that they had to work while the crew was off, and how the decks should swab themselves, and Liam felt rather pleased with himself. They would forgive him, they always did, and he liked being around them.

The children made him feel free, alleviated from the stresses of his normal world. Sure, they were a handful, rambunctious, noisy, and always hungry, but they were also brimming with dreams that hadn't been crushed, ideas that hadn't been shot down, and innocence, and obliviousness to the terrors going on in the realms around them. Liam knew that in the White Kingdom, the Evil Queen was ruthlessly tearing apart villages, looking for someone. Some sort of "savior". This was old news- she'd been at this for years, but being in the same kingdom as her was too much of a risk- she'd kill anyone who even  _looked_  at her in an odd manner. So, Liam made it his goal to avoid it at all costs. Any news about the goings-on he kept hidden from the children, not wanting to scare them with stories of such treachery and terror.

On the lower deck, Emma clutched the bucket, struggling along behind Killian, who was in charge of the mop, and not doing his job very well. "Gimme that!" She demanded, reaching out for the soaking wet object.

Killian waved it above her head like a toy, but the moment he raised it high, the wet part of the mop flopped onto his head, quickly dousing his jet-black hair. Emma took this as an opportunity to save the decks from his awful cleaning skills and snatched away the mop. "Hey!" He called, but Emma was off, dragging the mop behind her. Naturally, Killian chased after her.

In a way, their lives together had always been like this, running to each other, running together, with good intentions and good spirits. Ever since the first time they'd met, when they'd first run together, away from a life, they'd changed directions. They didn't run away anymore. Together, they'd run to something.

Or so they thought.

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**The ominous ending is kinda becoming a thing with this story, isn't it?**

**By popular demand, I've decided to expand this story past my original outline, and make a separate story about when they're older, so you may expect to see some romance in their futures... I've got big plans for these two! Also, please forgive my mistakes with the names of ship things (helm, bow, etc...) I always get them mixed up.**

**QUESTION: Would your rather vacation someplace warm and tropical (Like, say, Hawaii?) or cold and snowy (Like Antarctica or a mountain? Since I'm writing this from a mountain, I'm gonna go with Hawaii.**

**BYENOW!**


	8. A Proper Life We Don't Need (Part One)

**A/N: Hello, dearies! Yes, yes I'm back! Sorry this took so long, I've been busy with midterms, writing, and still managing to go outside and do whatever normal people do. Anyway, TWO chapters until this story is over! Don't worry- I have a lot planned for these two in my next story. See the end for more on that :)**

**Thank you all for your kind reviews and patience. I appreciate each and every one of you. It makes me so, so happy when I look in my email and just see oodles of messages, reviews, and kudos from y'all! So, thank you!**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

It was just another night aboard the Jewel of the Realm. The stars were bright and brilliant, reflecting off the calm waters, making it hard to distinguish where the deep, indigo sky ended, and the ocean began. Both seemed infinite, never-ending and full of possibilities. The ship itself cut through the water smoothly, leaving a trail of disturbed stars in her wake.

In a small cabin aboard the ship, a boy and a girl were sound asleep in their respective bunks, though this scene would soon change.

Emma shifted fitfully in her sleep. Her face scrunched up and she suddenly cried out, kicking the blanket frantically. As if pulled by an invisible force, Killian rolled out of his bed and trudged across the wooden floor to his distressed best friend. He rubbed his eyes as he climbed under the warm covers and grasped her hand, soon returning to his dreams.

Soon, his thin veil of sleep was again torn as Emma continued her thrashing, letting out restrained panicked noises.

Killian was startled. Every night, when he climbed into her bed, the mere touch of his hand had always been enough to calm her and sent her dreams into safer waters. Now, even with him lying next to her, Emma was still fighting, and she sounded terrified.

"No... No! I can't!" She whimpered, and worry lines appeared across her soft face. Her eyelids fluttered, but it was clear sleep still held her in its tight grasp. Killian sat up, concerned.

"Emma? Emma, wake up." He urged, shaking her shoulder roughly, confusion etched in his face. Finally, her eyes flew open, and she sat bolt upright in bed, panting heavily. The panicked expression was still on her face, but once she caught sight of Killian, it relaxed, though he could tell she was still worried.

"Wh-what happened?" She stammered out, brushing some matted hair out of her face.

A cloud passed over the moon, shrouding the room in complete darkness as she said this, and Emma tensed in the sudden pitch black. "You were having a nightmare, Emma." Killian said softly. "And you didn't go back to sleep when I climbed into your bunk, you were kicking and screaming." He couldn't see Emma's face very well, but he was sure she looked scared, or maybe embarrassed. Usually she was an open book to him with her emotions, but for some reason, she'd suddenly constructed a wall around herself, and he didn't like it one bit. "What were you dreaming of?"

Emma lay back down, but didn't close her eyes. Killian did the same, and the pair laid on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Emma reached for his hand and Killian let her have it. Warmth radiated off of her palm, and he felt something else. Something wet. Furrowing his brow, he turned look at his best friend and Finally, the clouds passed. He could now see faint tear tracks had made their marks on Emma's gentle face. How had he not noticed she was crying before? In that moment, he felt like the worst friend in the world, but then Emma spoke. "It was scary, Killian. This woman, sh-she was throwing fire at me." Emma's voice trembled, but she continued. Despite the things she was saying, Killian felt a strange sense of relief. She was letting him in. No walls after all. "And you were in a corner. You were- you-" Emma's voice broke, and she began to really cry now. Shoulder-shaking, hear wrenching sobs. He'd never seen her cry like this before. It sounded like someone had ripped the happiness right out of her heart. Killian didn't know what else to do, so he pulled her into a weird sideways hug, and whispered empty comforts into her ear. Emma wrapped her arms around her best friend and continued to sob for a while.

While Emma was getting tears and presumably snot on his nightshirt, Killian wondered what she had seen in the dream that scared the fearless girl so much. They fell asleep in each in each other's arms, and Emma didn't dream again that night.

They didn't mention that night again, and Killian simply assumed she had forgotten. That was fine with him- frankly, everything about that night had him worried, but the next morning she was acting exactly as she had before: bubbly and daring. He relaxed, and figured he must have exaggerated things in his mind.

However, a few nights later, Emma surprised him again, on a completely different topic. "I want to leave." She declared from her bunk. Killian nearly fell out of his.

"You want to what?"

"I want to leave. I hate this. I hate the lying, the pretending, the being stuck inside all day." Emma turned to face him, her big, blue eyes illuminated by the weak moonlight. "It's not living.  _I'm_  not living."

Killian wanted to protest, but then realized she was right. Liam had her stuck in the map room all day, every day, to keep her from the crew as much as possible. Although it lowered the risk of them finding out the truth about her, it also meant she spent most of the day apart from her best friend. She was all alone. When they were at port, they usually tagged along with Liam to various market stands, or deliveries, but then they were back on the boat by the end of the day, and it was off to the next realm, the next delivery. And they hardly ever saw Liam aside from those deliveries. The last time he had spent real, quality time with them had been several months ago. Killian sighed, and moved over to Emma's bunk, grasping her hand as he did every night."You're right. It's not fair."

Emma paused, like had she expected him to argue, and then nodded. "I mean, we're family, you, me and Liam, but I don't think family should hurt this much. I feel so alone, and I never see you. Maybe I just don't deserve to have a real family." She bit her lip, and Killian realized she actually believed that.

He squeezed her hand, hard. "You do. Like it or not, you're stuck with me." Emma let a brief laugh escape her lips. "We're a family. You and me. I'm with you for the long run."

Emma looked away, and he detected something else in her expression. Guilt? "I've been thinking about… About running away." She looked at him carefully, judging his reaction.

Killian didn't know what to think. Run away? He'd already done that to Liam once, and it nearly broke his older brother. What would Liam do if Emma up and left too? "Well… Where would you go?" He asked dumbly, not sure of what else to say.

She was still watching him with that cautious look, but she spoke anyway. "Well, we're docking in the kingdom where we used to live. I was considering just going back to my old life. It's awful for me to think, I know, but I can't help it." Her eyes sparkled with intensity. "I can't keep living like this."

He licked his lips. "Are you serious about this?"

She nodded, her face looking pale and drawn in the weak light of the moon. Killian closed his eyes.

"Okay then. I suppose we have plans to make."

* * *

**Uh-oh.**

**So, the sequel to Antics is going to be called The Savior (Unless I change it. Which I won't). It will take place when Emma and Killian are teenagers, and will be chock full of drama, humor, and plenty of adventure. And, if you comment this chapter, maybe a little romance? Or maybe a lot. So feel free to comment! Ot would make my heart alive with the sound of** **music** **fanfics.**

**Remember, comments bring better, faster updates ;)**

**Question: Who wants a cookie right now?**

**BYENOW!**


	9. A Proper Life We Don't Need (Part Two)

**A/N: Sorry this took so long- real life gets in the way :P Thank you all so much for the patience. Wow, 800 hits. I rolled on the floor with happiness when I saw it- and sadly, I'm not kidding. Thank you all so, _so_  much! You are the best readers I could ask for.**

**Anyway, here's chapter 9. Remember, next chapter is the last one!**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

The day started out like any other, the crew teeming with excitement about docking, seagulls cawing ceaselessly, and the waves eagerly lapping up against the side of the ship. In a way, Emma figured that was a sign that things were about to change. And it would be entirely her fault.

Their plan of escape was simple: get to the port, get off with Liam as they always did, and then disappear into the crowds and go back home, back to their tree, their clearing, their meadow. Emma could tell Killian was uncomfortable with the idea, and honestly, she was, too. But it had to be done. Emma couldn't bear another day charting maps inside, living a fake life, a half-life.

She didn't want to drag Killian into her issues, but at the same time, she couldn't live without him. For weeks now, she'd tried to imagine escaping on her own, going back to her lonely, guarded life, the way she'd lived before Killian became a part of her world, and her gut twisted painfully whenever she even considered it. Living without Killian would be like living without her left hand. She'd survive, but every day would be painful and difficult.

Emma was tying her light blond curls back when Killian burst through their door, his cheeks red from running around, helping the crew dock and prepare to disembark. She looked at him, and he nodded. This was it. She gathered her things- her old dress and cloak, along with some food she had swiped from the galley- and stuffed it all into her old hemp bag. Liam wouldn't be suspicious of the bag, as she almost always carried it with her to help carry the small things Liam would purchase while perusing the stands for produce. This would appear normal to him, and Emma frowned as a voice sang in her head  _Appearances can be deceiving_. That wasn't her head voice. That sounded like-

But before she could think about it too hard, someone hollered for the Captain, and Killian gestured with his hand for her to get a move on. She shook her head to clear it of that strange voice and followed her best friend.

The pair stepped out of the room and into the glowing sunlight, and the sounds of burly, grown men laughing and disembarking grew louder as they reached the main deck. Emma tried to remind herself to act normal, but suddenly, she couldn't remember what acting normal looked like. Was she supposed to smile? Did she usually smile? The little girl was so preoccupied with her own thoughts, she ran straight into Liam. Emma let out a shrill yelp, leaping back as if she'd just been stuck by lightning.

The Captain gave her a curious look. "Are you alright, Emma?" He asked, clearly concerned. Emma was never one to be so jumpy, much less one to yelp like she just did.

Emma took a moment to answer, waiting for her heart to climb down from her throat. "Yes, uhm, I was just lost in thought." She replied, trying to look innocent, until she realized he had no reason to expect her to be guilty of anything.

Liam hesitated, clearly unconvinced, but then one of the crew members, William, called for him, and the Captain snapped to attention.

"We're on our way!" He called, before turning back to his two charges. "Let's go, we have some supplies to get, along with picking up our next delivery," He made his way over to the gangplank, Emma and Killian plodding along after him. "I heard we'll be crossing realms again, which will be quite exciting. Top secret stuff, so I can't tell you everything." He explained, smiling back at the children. Emma gulped uncomfortably. If all went according to her plan, Emma and Killian wouldn't be crossing any realms for a long while, if ever again.

Killian reached over and took Emma's hand, squeezing it comfortingly. It didn't help her racing pulse, but the simplicity of his presence reassured her, and she managed to follow Liam into the crowded marketplace, keeping close behind him so as not to get lost… yet.

Liam made small talk to them about the produce they would need, and the "this" for sale and the "that" on display, and instead of zoning out like she usually did, Emma drank in every word he said, the guilt piling up with each syllable. This man cared for them, he loved them. Why would they leave him?

"And we have a long voyage ahead of us, a month at sea, at the very least." Liam remarked as they caught up with the crew at the market center, and Emma imagined another month of her life, days spent inside, alone, nothing but the rocking of the sea and the creaking floorboards to keep her company as she scanned dusty old maps, wishing to be anywhere else, and her resolve hardened. No matter how good Liam had been to them, it couldn't equate to her old life, when she was herself. The days when she wasn't Em, the small, blonde boy who spent the most of every day separated from everyone, even Killian. She remembered being Emma, running free in the woods, stumbling after Killian on their many adventures together, when she had been happier than ever before. They had to leave.

While the crew dispersed, Emma scanned the familiar layout of the market with some reluctance. The stands were scattered along the wide, cobblestoned streets, and groups of villagers and sailors milled about, talking, chatting and shopping, going about their lives rather peacefully. Behind the stands, ramshackle, rather run-down looking homes stretched on, all within a respectful distance of the treelike, as though the monsters within would strike if one lived too close (Which was ridiculous. Everyone knew only the White Kingdom had monsters in their woods). If they skirted around the houses, Emma knew they could escape back to their home virtually unseen. It was their old escape route, the one they had taken hundreds of times before. It would be so easy to slip away, vanish back into the woods.

Emma glanced at Killian, and saw that he had been looking the same direction she had been, and detected something in his eyes. Longing. He then turned to her and smiled, although it was weak.

"We're almost home." He murmured, and it was Emma's turn to give him a flickering smile.  _Home_.

Emma knew she shouldn't make a scene- she couldn't risk making Liam suspicious- but it was impossible for her not to show her gratitude for him being the only parent she'd ever known. It wasn't his fault. So she ran over to Liam and clung to his leg, forcing a giggle. "Move quickly, we can outrun Killian!" She said loudly enough for her friend to hear. Catching on to her idea, Killian began to run past them, calling out, "No you won't!"

Liam ran around and played with them for a few minutes, but soon had to leave, to go and pick up their cargo. Emma and Killian declined his offer to go with him, saying they would go back on board instead.

Emma hung on to Liam's hand a second longer. "Thank you," She murmured, barely meeting his eyes before letting her hand fall limply from his, and turned to Killian, who shared a strange sort of look with his brother before turning and walking with Emma, the pair disappearing into the throngs of people. "What kind of look was that?" She asked as they made their way towards the trees.

Killian shrugged. "A look that hopefully told him everything he needs to know. We're sorry, we love him, and we hope he understands."

"That's a lot of work for your eyes to do."

"I know."

Emma and Killian easily made their way back into the woods and slowly made their way home, over the moist soil and sparse grass, kicking aside twigs and jumping over fallen trees. As Emma realized they were getting close, she found herself speeding up, jogging along the path they'd made so long ago, knowing exactly where it would lead. She'd dreamed of it for so long…

When they soon found themselves back at their old home, Emma was surprised to find tears running down her cheeks at the sight of it. It seemed as though they'd never left. Sure, there were a few fallen branches and here and there, and the tree looked older and more weathered than before, but it was as though the spot were put under a magical spell, just waiting for them to come back. Their sanctuary, the same as ever.

Emma glanced sideways at Killian, who had a mixture of pain and happiness on his face. "Welcome home, Lieutenant Jones."

"Welcome home, Miss Swan."

That night, Emma didn't sleep. She lay awake, hand in hand with Killian, tormented by her thoughts. How her brain simply couldn't let her forget that she ruined the family she'd found. Then, she looked over at Killian, sound asleep, his eyes closed and face peaceful, and tried to comfort herself. Killian, who would follow her anywhere. He was her family. If she had him, she didn't need anyone else. Not really.  _Then why are you crying?_  A still small voice in her head asked.

Killian tried to sleep. He really did. He closed his eyes, forced his face to relax, and tried to escape into the land of the dreams, but he couldn't. The crickets chirped loudly, as though they were his conscience, trying to send a message. He hadn't stopped thinking about his brother all day. What had they just done? Up and left Liam with no explanation, no apology. He'd be frantic. Torn apart. Terrified. Killian turned on his side, facing away from Emma, and let his tears fall silently. They slid off his face and into the shadows of the night, unnoticed by anyone but himself.

Finally, Emma couldn't take it anymore. "Killian," She whispered, shaking his shoulder. He stirred slowly, rubbing harshly at his face, and she sat up. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I can't shake this feeling that we- that  _I've_  done something horribly wrong," She sniffled a bit, which was embarrassing for her. Killian was the only person who had ever seen her really cry, and she trusted him more than she trusted herself, but she still felt vulnerable when he saw her so torn apart. "I'm sorry I dragged us away from your brother. I thought we could go back to the way we were, when it was just us, but I can't stop thinking about Liam. He's our family too, and I've dragged us apart and ruined the family, and now I've ruined everything, and I just… I just…" She broke down into deep, heavy sobs and Killian pulled her into a tight hug. Emma let him hold her while she cried, and wondered what she did to deserve such a perfect friend. She'd broken their family, and there he was, holding her like she had just lost a friend. "What have I done?" She whispered through hiccup-driven sobs. Killian looked up at the stars, wishing for a valid answer.

"What you needed to do." He finally managed, which made Emma cry harder.

"I… I'm so sorry, Killian." She choked out. "I didn't- I don't-"

"I know."

Somehow, they both found their way to sleep, tight in each other's arms. Tears dried and sobs ceased, but both still felt a tug in their hearts. Liam was still out there. He was family. And family never gives up.

* * *

**Aw, sadness!**

**I apologize for any grammatical errors- I've read it over so many times, I've become blind to the errors- which makes no sense. Next chapter should be out soon- a couple of days, probably.**

**Question: Gummies or chocolate?**

**Remember, reviews bring better chapters** **, and I'll try to reply to them as soon as I can!**

**BYENOW!**


	10. Better

**A/N: So... It's been a while, wasn't it? I'm so, so sorry to have kept all of you waiting for the last chapter, but life kinda got in the way. However, the summer is here, I have few obligations, and I am back with the final chapter of Antics! 51 pages, over 15,000 words, and twelve hundred hits. Thank you all so much for sticking with my throughout this story. You have no idea how amazing it is for me every time one of you hits the kudos button, or leaves a comment. Thank you all.**

**I've missed you, and I hope you're ready for the next few months, 'cause I've got some crazy stuff planned for you all.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"Excuse me, ma'am, but have you seen these two?" "Pardon me, sir, but is it possible you might have seen these two children recently?"

These were the questions Liam had been asking all day, as he dashed about the market, showing his beloved sketch of Emma and Killian sleeping in the sun to anyone and everyone who would care to look. No one recognized them. When he got back to the ship late the night prior, and realized Emma and Killian were missing, his heart nearly stopped. He noticed right away that some of their things were missing from their room, and the rest of the pieces fell together easily. They'd run away. From him. Again.

Liam was barely keeping his hysteria in check when he nearly plowed right into an old woman. "Oh, I'm very sorry madam, my most humble apologies."

The woman humphed, but nodded. "It's quite alright, sir." The old lady's brow furrowed at the captain upon further inspection of his face. "Are  _you_  alright? You seem quite ill."

The captain rubbed his forehead. "No, I'm not alright, nor am I ill. My brother and his friend have run away. I… I think I know why. I never made any time for them. I'm not a great guardian, nor an ideal replacement for a real parent." He hadn't meant to pour out his hear to some stranger, but he couldn't help self-deprecating himself out loud. It was true. "They're the most important things in the world to me." He added, showing the drawing to her with a dejected sigh. "And no one can place them. Killian- my brother- says they used to live in the woods until I found them about a year ago, but in a forest of this size, I'll never be able to find them in there."

The woman squinted at the drawing closely. "I'm sorry to say I don't recognize them. You say you found them a year ago?" She inquired, looking up at the man's face.

Liam nodded slowly, not sure where she was going with this. "Yes."

"Hm. Well, I used to leave my stale bread in a basket by the woods, figuring the birds or other animals could make use of it. Oddly enough, soon after I started this, I noticed the bread would be gone, but it would be replaced by a bundle of wildflowers instead." She smiled, her kind eyes glazing over slightly at the memory. "It didn't take long to figure out it was a human- or perhaps multiple humans- taking my bread, but I didn't mind. As long it was helping keep someone alive. Anyway, about a year ago, the bread stopped being taken. You can imagine my surprise when I came to pick up the basket and it was still full of uneaten bread. Not a wildflower in sight." She raised her eyebrows. "Your brother and his friend might very well be those people." She pointed at an old, weathered stone cottage, slightly separated from the other battered-looking homes. "I'd leave my basket right there near those hydrangeas. See if you can't find your family near there."

Liam thanked the woman fervently and bolted towards the forest. He saw an empty basket near the bushes, and a trail of crumbs leading into the woods. They stopped after a few feet, but they did lead him to a narrow, worn trail. It twisted and turned, and soon, he couldn't see where he'd come from. Finally, after half an hour of walking and getting slapped in the face by tree branches (he detested the forest, and it appeared the feeling was mutual), he was about to give up and try to find his way back out when he heard something. It was faint, but he knew he didn't imagine it. It was a very familiar noise. A girl's giggle.

He picked up the pace, bounding down the trail ignoring the roots that tried to trip him and the leaves that caressed his face harshly, his heart racing, hope inflating in his chest like a balloon. Could it be?

The man stumbled out into a clearing, and he paused, his eyes adjusting to the sudden shock of sunlight. He was standing in a meadow, with rustling grasses and wildflowers as high as his shoulders. That was when he heard a lower, quieter voice talking.

"… and that time we stole the cookies?" The voice asked, and another giggle rang out, though this time, Liam could hear the tinge of sadness in it.

He tried to pinpoint the pair's location without giving away his own- he didn't want to scare them off, but he couldn't see them through the vast sea of weeds and colorful blossoms.

"There were good days," Killian continued. "And there were bad ones. To me, they just sort of melded together in some sort of mishmash of emotions."

"I just felt so lonely," Emma confessed quietly. "I never saw you or anyone, really. I mean, sure, I now know the oceans of twelve different realms like the back of my hand, but I was so alone all the time, and that knowledge of the sea would never do me any good anyway." Her little voice hardened, and Liam's stomach twisted. The guilt he'd felt just a few years ago, when he'd first lost Killian had returned with a vengeance, for now he had let down two children, not just one. "Maybe he's better off without me." Emma finished, her voice so small and lost that he couldn't stand it. It was his fault, his fault for making her feel like this.

"Do you mean us?" Killian asked. Liam crept forward, crouching low to stay hidden in the grasses.

Emma shifted, and Liam jumped. The noise sounded very close. Doing a ninety-degree-turn, he realized he could see Emma's blonde hair through the grass, along with a blue sailor's coat- Killian. "No, I mean me. You're his brother- his real family.  _I_ forced you to leave him, and you were happy." Emma's head moved, and Liam stiffened, until he realized she was crawling over to sit next to him. "I- you- It's just…"

 _Just_.

Liam stood up then, and waded over to this children. He paused, taking in their reactions slowly. Initially, both of their faces held some level of shock, before changing. Killian, relieved. Emma, on the other hand, appeared scared, and actually moved to sit behind Killian, her eyes guarded. "I… Uhm…" Liam scratched the back of his ear uncomfortably, "Hi," he managed. "I'm not mad, if that's why you think I'm here." He finally said, sitting down in front of them. Killian nodded, like he expected this, but Emma still hid behind Killian, reminding Liam of the first day he met the curious little orphan. Suddenly, something clicked in Liam's brain, as if a candle had suddenly been light, igniting the dark corners of his mind, if only for a moment. He'd broken a promise. A memory wiggled its way to the surface of his mind, and he allowed himself to get lost in it.

_The sea sounded like many things. The hungry waves lapping up against the ship, for example, was commonly equated to a dog lapping up water. The waves were crashes of many objects, a vase or a glass, or even called the war cry of the gods. But never had he thought of the waters he loved to sound like tears. Until he found Emma standing on the deck, tears rolling down her wan face. Her salty tears shone on the starlight, twinkling as they dropped into the ocean, and he briefly wondered how many tears the ocean was made up of._

_"Emma?" He asked, coming to stand next to her. She jumped, startled, and quickly began to swipe at her face viciously, trying to rid herself of any evidence of her tears._

_"Yes?"_

_"What's the matter? Have I done something to upset you?" It was only her second night on the Jewel of the Realm- surely, he hadn't screwed up_ that _badly yet._

_Emma sniffled, clearly still embarrassed. "No… No, I just…" She sighed. "Just."_

_"Just what?"_

_"I don't think I belong here. You and Killian, you're a family. This crew is a family. I'm… I'm intruding. I don't really have a family, all I have is Killian."_

_Liam bit his lip, his heat hurting for this girl, who even with Killian, still felt so alone. He knelt down to her level and looked into her eyes. He waited until her emerald green eyes stopped fretfully darting around and fully focused on him before he spoke. "You will_ always _have a family with us. I promise to you, Emma Swan, from this day forward, you will never have to be alone. Just as Killian and the crew are my family, now to are you. My question is, will you accept us?"_

_He expected a vague yes, or maybe even a no. He did not, however, expect her to throw her arms around his neck in a brief, tight hug, but that's what Emma did, and in that moment, he vowed never to hurt this precious girl. She would be like a daughter to him, and he would love her as his own, because she needed someone, someone who could show her the world was a good place._

"Emma," He whispered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to break my promise to you. I got careless, took you both for granted, when in reality-," His voice broke, and he took a deep, steadying breath. "In reality, you two are more precious than any jewel or form of magic in any realm." Silence. Liam was scrambling for something else to say when Emma crawled out from behind Killian and reached for Liam's face.

"You're crying." She murmured, wiping off a tear. Surprised, then embarrassed, Liam realized she was correct.

"We're sorry, too." Killian spoke up. Emma moved over to go sit next to her friend again. "We left for selfish reasons. Honestly, Emma," He turned to her, his expression serious. "I wasn't very happy either. I hated being the smallest one, swabbing the decks all day, or dumping buckets of water here or there, constantly almost being stepped on- but I just didn't want to add to your worries. Either of you." He said, now addressing Liam.

Liam pressed his lips together. Now that he had found the children, safe and sound, he wasn't sure what to do. "Would- Would you be willing to come back to the ship? We can start again. Clean slate- well, as clean as you can get, anyway. I think I've learned my lesson, and I promise things will change. The question is, have you learned yours?" He didn't ask it in a menacing or cruel way, and was relieved when the children didn't see it as such.

Emma nodded first. Then Killian.

"I'm sorry." They all said, and then laughed nervously.

"Okay, then." Liam stood up, though he felt rather weak. The emotional roller coaster he'd been on for the past twelve hours had really drained him, and he was ready for rest aboard his beloved ship. "Shall we go?"

Killian nodded and started to follow Liam back the way they'd come, but Emma called, "Wait, our things!" Without waiting for an answer, she took off in the opposite direction, cape flapping behind her.

"Of course! Come with me." Killian told his brother, and set off behind Emma at a slower, more deliberate pace.

Liam followed the black-haired boy down a steep slope, then around a few turns and corners until they reached a clearing, where Emma was picking up various items and shoving them into that ratty bag of hers. There was a large, tall tree in the center of the clearing, with a wide, gaping hole at its base, and Liam realized with a jolt that this must have been where Emma and Killian had lived the year Liam had lost his brother.

A small, misshapen fire pit sat off to one side of the clearing, the embers still glowing. Killian trotted over to a little black cauldron, and dumped the water inside over the red, glowing ashes.

Liam looked around the mossy clearing. "So," He began awkwardly. "This is your…"

"Old home," Emma supplied. "I found it years ago. It was my sanctuary, and when Killian came…" She glanced at her friend. "Things were perfect for a while." Liam's hurt must have shown through on is face, because Emma quickly added, "But that was before we found another home. This tree, this place," She paused, looking around, "It will always be a special place to me, a home. But you and Killian are where my home really is- I know that for sure now." She looked back at Liam confidently. He saw in that moment how mature she was- wise beyond her years, yet still such a child.

Killian walked up and took Liam's hand- a rare gesture, and quite shocking. As the children led Liam out of the woods, he tried to soothe his nerves. He'd lost and found the children in the same day, made a very big promise, and realized that these children were growing up. He figured he wouldn't punish them, more because he was in serious need of a nap than anything else.

When they reached the ship, Emma fished around in her bag. She reluctantly drew out her faded blue ribbon and began tying her hair up.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Killian asked, reaching out his hand as if to stop her.

"I'm putting on my disguise." She grumbled, looking someone had just told her she could never have a cookie again.

Liam, who was halfway up the gangplank, heard the exchange and ran back down and took the ribbon out of her hands gently. "No. I promised things would change, and they will, starting with you. You're Emma Swan, the little  _girl_  we've adopted into our family. If the crew can't accept that, they can say good-bye to my ship."

Emma raised her eyebrows, and upon realizing he was serious, turned her surprised gaze to Killian, who shrugged. They seemed to have a silent conversation, and Liam patiently waited, tapping his toe to the tune of  _Beethoven's 9th Symphony,_  a song from some strange realm they'd visited once. Terrible locals, wonderful music. Emma and Killian had loved it.

Finally, Emma stuffed the ribbon back into her bag and happily ran up the gangplank.

"This will be fun to explain to the men." He murmured to himself, before ushering Killian up to the ship too.

It  _was_ quite an interesting conversation, but for a different reason than he'd originally thought. Turns out, the majority of the crew had already figured Emma was a girl.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Liam asked, confounded.

William looked away, suddenly interested in his shoelaces. "Oh… We, ah, had a bet going on how long this would last." He mumbled.

Liam didn't know whether to be mad or amused, so he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Who won?"

The crew went silent. Finally, scrawny little Matthew from the galley piped up "Me, sir," In his squeaky voice, and Liam smirked. And then let out a laugh. Soon, the whole crew was laughing, though some were still clearly worried Liam would be angry. He wasn't, though.

The days blended into weeks, which turned into months. The Jewel of the Realm continued as it always had, carrying precious cargo to and fro many kingdoms across realms and open seas, but something on board was definitely different. To say she was a ball of sunshine would be an overstatement, but Emma was definitely happier, which by default made Killian happy. Liam made as much time as he could for the children, or arranged for the crew to play with them if he really couldn't- and shockingly, they happily complied, getting really invested in games such as tag or hide-and-seek. If this was their happy ever after, Liam had no qualms.

But even a happy ever after in a land of magic is a dream that's just too good…

* * *

**The end!**

**Too ominous? Yeah, I thought so too. For those of you who were wondering, yes, there is a lot of crying in this series. Mostly from Emma. Why? While I'm trying to keep the core essence of "Real Emma", you have to remember, this isn't a girl who's spent 28 years shutting people out. At the end of this series, she's only 9. She's still hopeful, trusting, and more open with her emotions here than she is on the show. If you don't like it and think this is way to OOC, don't worry. I'll soon fix that :)**

**That's right! Prepare yourselves, because this summer, my gift to you is the sequel series to this little gem. It's called The Savior. If you want swordfights, magic, drama, confessions, reminiscing and just a wee bit of angst, this is the fic for you! So get excited!**

**Question: Who hates AP summer homework? (Me)**

**BYENOW!**


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